


Daisy, Daniel, and Dallas

by amandak0312



Series: Dallas Elio Sousa [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. References, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Spoilers, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Reunions, Major Original Character(s), Minor Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa, Multi, One Shot Collection, Original Character(s), POV Daniel Sousa, POV Original Character, POV Skye | Daisy Johnson, Protective Skye | Daisy Johnson, SHIELD, SHIELD Family, SHIELD Husbands, Skye | Daisy Johnson Feels, Skye | Daisy Johnson Needs a Hug, Skye | Daisy Johnson-centric, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 8,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandak0312/pseuds/amandak0312
Summary: A collection of short one-shots about Daisy Johnson, Daniel Sousa, and their son, Dallas Sousa. These chapters will not be in chronological order. Future chapters may contain mild coarse language and mentions of sexual content. Published on fanfiction.net. [ON INDEFINITE HIATUS.]
Relationships: Daniel Sousa & Agents of SHIELD Team, Skye | Daisy Johnson & Original Male Character(s), Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Dallas Elio Sousa [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984777
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Action Figures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sousa family gets a visit from Aunt Kora.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

“AUNT KORA!” Dallas yelled as his aunt came through the door, holding big bags just for him. 

“Hey, kiddo!” Kora smiled as she closed the door behind her with her foot. Daisy and Daniel came downstairs to greet her. 

“There better be some presents in there for us,” Daniel joked, taking in the many bags Kora had in her arms. 

“I swear, you spoil our kid more than we do,” Daisy chuckled, hugging her sister as Daniel helped Kora take some weight off her shoulders. Dallas, hyperactive as all 6-year-olds are, rifled through the first bag his dad set on the floor. 

“Mom, mom, mom, mom! Look!” Dallas screeched as he frantically waved the first box in the air. 

“I’m right here, Dal, no need to shout,” Daisy lightly scolded before walking up to her son. “What is it?”

“It’s you!” Dallas shouted excitedly, quickly turning the box around so his mom could see it. Inside was an action figure, which was indeed Daisy. The toy in question was wearing her old catsuit from her S.H.I.E.L.D. days, and had her old arm gauntlets. In bold letters at the front of the box, “QUAKE” was spelled out in large, yellow block letters. 

Daisy took the box in her hands, a wave of nostalgia taking over her. “Honey, look, it’s me,” she said softly, handing the box to Daniel. 

“Really takes us back, huh?” he replied, staring at the action figure portraying his wife. Kora playfully swatted at their hands. 

“It’s for Dallas, you goofs,” Kora playfully reprimanded, much to her nephew’s amusement. 

“Can I keep it?” Daisy looked at her son with puppy-dog eyes, her hands still wrapped around the box. 

“No, mommy, it’s mine!” Dallas huffed, crossing his arms. The three adults laughed before Daisy handed her son the box back. 

“Don’t worry Daisy, I’ll be sure to find another one when I go shopping again,” Kora winked, earning a laugh from Daisy and Daniel. 

“I’m counting on it,” Daisy replied, smirking as she leaned on her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	2. The Shotgun-Axe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mack shows young Dallas his most prized weapon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: very mild language

“Okay, Dallas, you hold it like this- there you go,” Mack directed, guiding Dallas’ hands. It was rare for Mack to have a day off, so he was glad to spend today with his godchild. For the ripe age of 4, he was unnaturally bright and inquisitive, traits he got from both his parents. Elena and Sofia were out grocery shopping and Dallas’ parents would be back to pick up their kid in an hour.

“This is so cool!” Dallas exclaimed, his eyes brightening as he felt the weight of the shotgun-axe in his hands. 

“Yup, I’ve had this baby for nearly 15 years and it hasn’t failed me once,” Mack praised his weapon. “No, no be careful- Dallas!”

Elena's favorite vase fell onto the floor and shattered into a hundred pieces.

-

“What do you think they’re doing?” Daniel asked as they drove to Mack and Elena’s house. Daisy, who was in the passenger seat, thought over the question for a second. 

“I don’t know, probably watching sports or something?” Daisy said, although her stomach was gnawing at her. “You don’t think they’re doing something unsafe, do you?” 

“I don’t think so,” Daniel replied, as they turned into Mack’s neighborhood. “I mean, Mack is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., after all. I can’t think of anyone who’s more strict about safety than he is.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t know why I was so worried,” Daisy replied, settling back into the comfort of the seat behind her. 

Five minutes later, Daisy and Daniel parked in Mack and Elena’s driveway. Mack’s car was there but Elena’s wasn’t, so both parents guessed that it was only Mack and Dallas inside right now. 

Daniel walked up to the door and knocked, Daisy behind him. “Mack?” 

No answer. He knocked louder this time. “Mack? Dal?” This time, the couple heard yelling inside the room. Daniel rattled the doorknob, which stayed locked. 

“Move,” Daisy commanded urgently. Daniel stepped aside and watched as his wife quaked open the door, practically breaking it off its hinges due to their rising panic levels. 

“Did you just-” Mack’s voice. 

“Sorry, Uncle Mack!” Dallas. Daisy and Daniel ran over to where they heard the noises from. 

“What in the-” Both parents gaped as they were beheld by the sight of a sheepish Mack and their son holding his godfather’s shotgun-axe, and a broken vase near his feet.

“W-why-”

“ALPHONSO MACKENZIE!” Elena’s voice screamed out from behind them. “Why the hell is the front door busted?” Elena saw Daisy and Daniel and walked to the room where everyone was, holding little Sofia. Elena stopped where she was when she saw a shocked Daisy and Daniel, her embarrassed husband, and her favorite vase lying in shards next to her godchild’s feet. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to form words despite the anger bubbling inside of her. 

The six-year-old holding her hand giggled. “Uh oh, Daddy’s in trouble!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments, requests, and kudos are highly appreciated!


	3. Leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pregnant Daisy and Daniel retire from S.H.I.E.L.D. to pursue a peaceful life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none unless you count sadness

"I can't believe we're leaving," Daisy confessed, her hands resting on her belly. She was about two months along now, barely showing. Daniel was in the seat next to her, in disbelief as well.

"Who would've thought a hundred-year-old man got you pregnant?" he retaliated before Daisy slapped his arm.

"Why do you always have to bring that up?" Daisy groaned, resting her head against the back of the chair.

"Johnson? Sousa?" Elena called from the inside of the Director's office. The couples' heads perked up before they rose from their seats. They followed Elena inside the office, to see everyone from the old team. Coulson, so real that Daniel forgot he was an LMD. May, the Cavalry, still as stoic as ever. Fitz, the determined Scot, now a father. Simmons, the courageous Brit, now a mother. Little Alya, their young daughter. Deke, now in his early sixties, who has the same look in his eyes as he did when he was with the team in his youth. Elena, Yo-Yo, holding an infant Sofia in her arms. And lastly, Mack, Director Mack, looking at Daisy and Daniel with tears in his eyes.

"Guys…" Daisy started, feeling sobs hiccup in her throat. Everyone in the group went for a hug, Mack's offices being filled with the sounds of hushed goodbyes, gratitude, wishes of good luck, and tears.

Half an hour later, the last goodbye was said. Everyone stood back as Daisy and Daniel took something out from their pockets. They opened their leather wallets, setting the open items onto Mack's desk.

Daisy Johnson Sousa  
Title: Agent  
Sex: F  
Hair: BRN  
Eyes: BRN  
Height: 5-05  
Issue Date: 4/7/2015  
Serial No.: 52-738-ST-27

Daniel Jordan Sousa  
Title: Agent  
Sex: M  
Hair: BLK  
Eyes: BRN  
Height: 5-10  
Issue Date: 7/21/1950  
Serial No.: 678-094-43

"I wish you two the best of luck," Mack finally broke the silence. Everyone else around him was either in tears or too emotional to speak.

"We'll keep in touch," Daisy replied, resting one hand on her belly and the other wiping the tears off her face.

"Come on, honey," Daniel whispered, before wrapping her arms around Daisy's shoulders. Everyone watched as his wedding ring glimmered under the dim lighting. "Thank you, everyone. We mean it." And with that, Daniel and Daisy Sousa left Director Mack's office and S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, not as agents anymore, but as citizens of New York.

Even as the door shut behind them, the room was still relatively silent. Even Alya, who was normally chipper and perky, was quiet, hiding her face into her father's neck. Mack broke the silence once more.

"Agents Daniel and Daisy Sousa, resigning from duty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!


	4. Baby Bottles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel wakes up in the middle of the night to a crying Dallas in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: very mild language

Daniel jerked in the recliner when he felt the baby in his arms crying. Reluctantly opening his eyes, he saw Daisy on their bed, sleeping peacefully but with bags under her eyes.

It was his turn to take care of Dallas for the night. Both him and Daisy agreed that there needed to be some system for how they will split their time with Dallas. They found that one parent taking care of Dallas every other night was the best way to enforce that, for now. Dallas was now two months old and growing every day.

Daniel tried shushing his son, groaning from exhaustion when Dallas continued crying. It was a miracle that Daisy hadn't awoken from the volume of her son's cries.

"Okay, Dal, what do you want?" Daniel held the infant up in front of him, feeling the weight of the seat shift slightly. Dallas stopped crying after a moment, to slowly blink at his father, before bursting into tears once more. "Are you hungry or something?"

Daniel switched on the kitchen lights downstairs, holding the baby close to his chest. Dallas's cries had somewhat lowered in volume, but from the way he was trying to suck on the nipple of the baby bottle he was holding, Daniel could tell that he needed milk soon. He carefully poured a quick mug of milk before sticking it in the microwave. After 30 seconds, he took the mug out and set it on a nearby counter. He plucked the baby bottle out of Dallas's hands slowly and set it next to the mug before unscrewing the nipple.

"Daddy's just gonna put milk, okay?" Daniel cooed, a sentence Dallas seemed content with. With one hand, Daniel managed to pour the mug of milk into the bottle. He screwed the nipple once more before giving the bottle to his son, who eagerly took the bottle into his mouth and started drinking. The house was now fairly quiet. Daniel looked at the clock hanging over the sink. 4:06 AM.

Damn, the tired father thought. "Alright, Dal, up we go," he said as he made his way back upstairs, Dallas now drinking to his heart's content.

Daisy slowly opened her eyes and groaned when she felt the sunlight peeping through the open blinds of the window. She stretched her arms up before getting out of bed and seeing her two favorite boys on the recliner near the door. Daniel was sound asleep, an arm protectively around his son. Dallas was asleep as well on his chest, a half-full bottle threatening to fall out of his mouth.

Daisy checked the time on her phone. 9:17 AM. She walked over to her husband and son, kissing them both on their cheeks softly, before heading downstairs to make breakfast for the three of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requests, comments, and kudos are always appreciated!


	5. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whenever Dallas and Alya go out on dates, they're always told the same thing from both their parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Mom, Dad, Uncle Leo, and Aunt Jem, I swear to have Alya home by 11 PM at the latest," Dallas had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes if he didn't want his mom chewing him out after his date. Alya chuckled silently at his side, her hand on her boyfriend's arm

"Mama, Papa, you always make Dallas say the same thing, and he's done it every single time, hasn't he?" Alya complained, outwardly rolling her eyes as she looked at the adults in front of her. "We're legal, for Christ's sake!"

"Legal or not, you need to be home by 11," her father replied in exasperation, his Scottish accent thick as ever. Leopold grumbled quietly as he pushed his slipping glasses up. "I swear, life was so much easier when the Chronicoms were about to eradicate us all, I tell you," he got up and left the room, still rambling.

Jemma smiled apologetically for her husband's outburst. She sat in a nearby chair, her graying hair pulled back in a low bun, rather than her high ponytails from before. "I am very sorry about that," she apologized. "You two go have fun," she got up from her seat and followed her husband, calling out his name.

Dallas turned to face his parents, his posture significantly more relaxed. "You guys too?" Daniel and Daisy pondered for a moment before Daniel shook his head.

"Just get her home safe, and on time, Dal," Daisy reminded him, her hands on her hips. Daisy was still as beautiful as ever, a few years younger than Alya's parents, albeit a few wrinkles were forming at her eyes. Daniel nodded in agreement, wisps of gray hair barely visible on his head.

"We'll be okay, Auntie Daisy, Uncle Daniel," Alya promised, before pulling open the front door behind her and shoving Dallas outside. "See you at 11!" The door shut behind her.

Daisy and Daniel looked at each other for a quiet moment before looking at where their son stood wistfully.

"I can't believe our lives were completely different 20 years ago," Daniel remarked, before kissing the top of Daisy's head softly. She could only nod in response as waves of nostalgia took over her, remembering her old life. Before Daniel. Before Coulson. Before she became Daisy.

Daniel broke the silence once more, sensing his wife didn't want to speak. "But they've been the best 20 years of my life."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and requests are greatly appreciated!


	6. First Playdate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas Sousa meets Alya Fitz for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Say hi to Aunt Jemma and Uncle Leo, Dal," Daniel gently coaxed his son, softly pushing him to step inside the house. It was Dallas's first time meeting Leopold, Jemma, and little Alya.

"Daisy!" Jemma squealed as she moved to hug Daisy. Daisy yelped in surprise as Jemma lifted her off the ground and started swinging the poor woman around. Daniel stepped forward as he and Leo shared a man-hug.

"Simmons- SIMMONS!" Daisy yelled as she felt her head spin. Jemma automatically put her down.

"Now, you ought to stop calling me Simmons, Daisy," Jemma flashed her wedding ring at the other woman. "I'm a Fitz now!"

Daisy rolled her eyes before stretching out her arm towards her three-year-old son. "C'mon, sport," Daisy cooed, sighing in relief when Dallas toddled over to his mother on stubby legs. "Don't you want to make a new friend?"

At the mention of a new friend, Dallas whipped his head around to look for them. After seeing everyone in the room was the size of an adult, he hid behind Daisy's legs.

"Alya! Come down here, please!" Fitz called out behind him, and a blonde four-and-a-half-year-old came sprinting. Her hair was messy, clearly not brushed, and she held a battered stuffed fish toy in her arms.

"Papa," the child crowed, looking at Dallas in suspicion. "I thought I said no baby brothers!"

At this, the adults burst out into laughter. Alya squeaked at the sight of Daniel, a tall, strange man, before hiding behind Leo's legs, mirroring Dallas hiding behind his mother's. Daniel immediately stopped his laughter and crossed his arms.

"Am I really that scary?" he muttered, before rolling his eyes. He held his hand out for Dallas, who gladly took his father's hand.

"Hi," Dallas said softly, focusing his gaze on his sneakers.

"Hi," Alya replied, her arms still wrapped around her father's leg. The adults watched in fascination as Alya unclung herself from Leo and held out her stuffed fish, one of its button eyes hanging by a thread. "This is Fishy. Wanna play?"

Dallas looked up at his parents, who nodded encouragingly. "Okay!" he said, before running off with Alya into the depths of the house.

"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," Jemma said as the children's shadows disappeared from the walls and they heard footsteps loudly stomping upstairs.

Leo couldn't help but agree silently, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments, constructive criticism, kudos, and requests are highly appreciated!


	7. The "Talk"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An eight-year-old Dallas asks his parents what sex is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of sex (the concept, not the characters doing it) and mild language

"Dad, how are babies made?" Dallas asked, sitting at the kitchen table one morning. Daisy spit out her coffee in response and Daniel choked on the pastry he was eating.

"Dal, why are you asking that question? You're only eight!" Daisy asked, astonished, wiping at her sweater where some coffee had spilled.

"Aren't you awfully young to know?" Daniel said cautiously, still coughing.

"I dunno. Robert and James from the class next door were talking about 'sex' yesterday," Dallas replied earnestly, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "I asked them what sex was, and they said it's how babies are made. But they also said they didn't know how it works, so I told them I'll ask you and Mom."

Silence filled the kitchen before Daniel cleared his throat. "Give me and your mom one second, okay pal?" Daniel said without waiting for an answer. He hurriedly took Daisy by the arm and led her out of earshot, her facial expressions mirroring his.

"Isn't this a little early? To tell him?" Daisy whispered, to which Daniel nodded. "I thought we agreed we'd give him 'the talk' when he's 12 or 13."

"We can stick to that plan," Daniel nodded frantically. "The question is, how the hell do the other kids know about sex?"

"Probably got 'the talk' earlier," Daisy reasoned. "But I'm not ready to talk to Dallas about that yet."

"Me neither," her husband responded. "So what, do we tell him sex is holding hands or something?"

Daisy nodded. "That's perfect. Let's go."

Dallas was still sitting at the kitchen table, finishing up his ham-and-cheese sandwich when his parents walked back in.

"Okay, Dal, you ready to know what sex is?" Daniel asked, his voice wavering. Thankfully, this went unnoticed to the eight-year-old.

"Yeah!" Dallas said cheerfully, putting down the crust of his sandwich. Daniel looked at Daisy expectantly, who stared back at him, exasperated, before clearing her throat. Daniel inwardly sighed in relief and went to put the dishes in the sink.

"So, Dal. Uh, sex is when two adults love each other very much, and they uh- they decide to hold hands to show their love. Like me and your dad do," Daisy managed to stammer out. It was finally done and over with.

"Oh, okay!" Dallas said, getting out of his chair and running upstairs to brush his teeth. "Thanks, Mom! I'll ask Veronica if she wants to have sex during lunch!"

The sound of Daniel's ceramic mug shattering on the wooden kitchen floor rang in Daisy's ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, kudos, constructive criticism, comments, and requests are appreciated!


	8. Junior Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisy helps Dallas get ready for his junior pictures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"I really don't see why I can't get ready on my own," Dallas complained as Daisy gelled his hair back. "I'm sixteen, Mom, don't you think that tells you I'm old enough to get myself ready? And for Picture Day of all days."

"Nuh-uh," Daisy replied smartly. "I'm not risking a repeat of last year, kid."

Dallas flushed in embarrassment, thinking about his sophomore year picture. It had slipped his mind that it was Picture Day that day, and he ended up going to school with a ratty sweatshirt, baggy jeans, and unbrushed hair. Compared to his classmates who were much more put-together, he felt like his picture was the bad seed of the whole yearbook. He internally groaned when he remembered when the envelope was first sent home, and his parents got to flip through multiple pages of Dallas looking like he just rolled out of bed and immediately went to school.

"I thought I said that it won't happen again," he told his mom, flinching when she dabbed some concealer over his acne. With puberty came pimples, he thought. Daisy ignored him, and Dallas reluctantly accepted the silence, until finally, she stepped away from him.

Dallas had to admit that his mom did a great job. His dark brown hair was gelled in a way that reminded Daniel of his early SSR days. He wore a plain white tank top with a dark blue flannel on top, and some black skinny jeans that felt surprisingly comfortable. Dallas heard the sound of a camera clicking multiple times behind him and stuck his tongue out when he saw his mom smile triumphantly.

Daisy walked over and placed her hands on her son's cheeks. "There's my son. Now, off you go. I'll show these pictures to Dad when he comes home from the office."

Dallas pecked Daisy's cheek. He grabbed his car keys from his bedside table and shuffled downstairs, turning his head to shout, "Later, Mom! Thanks!"

Daisy smiled fondly as she swiped through the pictures she took of her son. Her little boy wasn't so little anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've been hopping through Dallas's age throughout these chapters. I don't necessarily have a plan for this and just intend to make this practice for writing really short stories. Let me know if I should continue just making random chapters where Dallas's age is inconsistent, or if I should start making chapters in chronological order.
> 
> As always, comments, kudos, constructive criticism, and requests are appreciated!


	9. Withered Roses, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Dallas visit Peggy Carter's grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of character death and mild language

Daniel held Dallas's hand as they walked up the hill of the cemetery, a bouquet of periwinkles in his other hand. At the top of the hill, a single headstone was there, a few withered roses in front of it. Daniel smiled solemnly as he read the words engraved.

Margaret Elizabeth Carter  
April 9, 1921 - June 18, 2016  
Mother, Wife, Friend, and Director

Dallas broke the silence after a minute. "Dad, who's that?"

Daniel wiped a tear off his cheek as he swallowed thickly. "That's Peggy Carter. She was a good friend of mine, and…" he paused as Dallas looked up curiously. "She was my first love."

"But I thought you loved Mommy," the six-year-old interjected. "Have you been lying to her?"

Daniel chuckled sadly at his son's naivety. "No, Dal. I loved Peggy, but we didn't work out. But I promise you, I love your mom more than you could ever understand," he reassured.

"But Dad," Dallas said, pointing at the headstone where Peggy's date of birth was engraved. "You're not as old as her, how did you fall in love with someone so old?"

Daniel chuckled once more. "That's a story I'll tell you when you're a little bit older, okay?" Dallas nodded in reply, staring at the headstone and the flowers surrounding it.

The father and son stood there for a few minutes longer, Daniel letting his memories with Peggy wash over him.

He broke the silence after a while. "Can you give me a moment, Dal?" Daniel asked quietly. Dallas nodded, tearing his eyes off of Peggy's grave.

"Bye, Miss Peggy," Dallas said softly, waving at the grave, before walking back to his father's car. Daniel didn't take his eyes off his son until he saw his son was safely strapped into the backseat. He turned his head back to the grave, choking back more tears.

"You would've loved Dallas," Daniel walked up and told the headstone, the rock light under the warmth of the sun. "Hope you're doing okay and kicking ass up there. I miss you." He placed the bouquet of periwinkles right underneath where Margaret Elizabeth Carter's name was engraved.

"Happy birthday, Peg."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was certainly one of the saddest chapters I've ever written. I like the idea of Daisy and Daniel accepting each other's past lovers. After all, you can't just pretend a big part of your life never happened.
> 
> Fun fact: periwinkles symbolize everlasting friendships, memories, and love.
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, constructive criticism, and requests are always appreciated!


	10. Mulan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas stays with Grandma May while his parents are on vacation and asks to watch a special movie with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"May? Coulson? You in there?" Daisy called as she knocked on the front door. Daniel walked up to his wife, Dallas in his arms as he locked the car.

"Where is she?" he asked, stuffing the keys in his pocket. Daisy shrugged. They heard shuffling behind the door before May revealed herself, a huge smile breaking out on her face when she saw Dallas. She spread her arms wide and Dallas happily ran to her.

"Grandma May!" Dallas cheered, wrapping his tiny arms around May's neck. With a huff, the woman lifted the child, cradling him in her arms.

"Hi Daisy, Daniel," May nodded in greeting to the couple. "Coulson's not here yet. I let him stay in Tahiti for a few more days. I had to come back anyway for a conference I had at the Academy yesterday."

"Are you completely sure you can handle Dallas on your own?" Daisy asked, knowing how crazy her son's antics can get. "He can be a handful, you know?"

"Daisy, if I could handle taking down Hydra in my prime, then I think I can handle taking care of a toddler," May smirked, before waving the couple off. "Off you go, you two. You've needed this vacation for a while now."

"Thank you so much, May," Daniel said gratefully, before shifting his focus on his son. "Don't give Grandma May too much trouble, okay?"

Dallas nodded eagerly. "Okay. Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!" He blew his parents kisses as they said their goodbyes, walked back to the car, and drove off to the airport.

May watched until the car was out of sight before smiling at Dallas. "Are you hungry, Dallas?"

The boy pondered over this for a moment. "No, Grandma May. Can we watch a movie, though?"

"Of course," May replied, heading inside the house and shutting the front door behind her. Dallas wiggled out of her arms and sprinted to the couch in the living room. May followed suit, turning on the TV. "What movie do you want to watch?"

"Can we watch Mulan?" Dallas said, his legs eagerly swinging in front of him. May laughed at the boy's excitement before flipping through the TV channels. After a few clicks, the TV conveniently landed at the beginning of Mulan and May sank back into the couch next to Dallas.

"You know, sometimes your voice sounds like Mulan's," Dallas remarked, his eyes glued to the TV. May smiled. Little did he know.

She wrapped an arm around Dallas, who leaned into her, and May fixed her gaze on the movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like May would have a great maternal instinct, especially when it comes to Dallas, as shown in Season 7 when she cared for Robin Hinton growing up in the Alternate Timeline (Earth's destruction).
> 
> Peep the Mulan reference! If you didn't know, Melinda May is played by Ming-Na Wen, who is also the voice of Mulan (1998).
> 
> As always, kudos, comments. constructive criticism, and requests are appreciated!


	11. In Labor, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of the day Daisy's water breaks. Her son is coming into the world sooner than she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: language

Daisy groaned as she felt the warmth of the sunlight on her face and lazily blinked her eyes open. She rested her hands over her belly, swollen as one's should be during the third trimester. Her son would be coming into the world soon.

"Good morning, baby," Daisy whispered as to not wake her husband. "I can't wait until you come out. Mommy and Daddy already love you so much." She turned her head over to Daniel, who was still sound asleep next to her. She shifted so that she could softly kiss his cheek, to which her husband smiled in his sleep. Daisy removed the white covers off of herself and stood up.

Immediately after standing up, she felt like something was wrong. She felt herself leak like she was using the bathroom, but the stream of fluid wasn't stopping. Shit.

"Daniel?" Daisy said, panicking slightly. Daniel only shifted in his sleep after murmuring a, "Love you, honey."

Daisy felt herself panic even more. "Daniel!" she yelled.

"Wha-?" Daniel stammered before falling off his side of the bed. Quickly recovering, he stood up and saw his wife frozen beside the bed, her pants wet. The realization hit him like a brick to the face.

"Fuck." Without saying anything more, Daniel ran over to Daisy and scooped Daisy up in his arms.

"I'm not supposed to be due for another month," Daisy whimpered as Daniel carried her to the front door and grabbed the keys hanging on the nearby hook. "What if something's wrong with our son?"

"No, no, honey," Daniel reassured, though he was panicking himself. "Don't think like that. He's gonna be okay. Just hang on for a bit, alright?" To which Daisy nodded. Daniel unlocked the car and gently set Daisy in the passenger seat. Daisy strapped the seatbelt on herself as Daniel got into the driver's seat.

He turned the key in the ignition. Nothing. He turned it again. Nothing once more.

"Goddamnit, not today!" Daniel cursed, his mouth letting out more curses as the car still refused to start. After a minute, thankfully, the engine roared to life.

Thank you, thank you, Daisy silently prayed as she felt a cramp take over her uterus. "Wait a minute, baby," she said to her pregnant belly.

"Let's go," Daniel said hurriedly, more to himself than to his wife, and backed the car out of the driveway. However, he failed to see the trash can behind him, and both spouses jumped when they heard it crash to the ground.

"Motherfucker," Daniel seethed as he quickly left the car to prop the trash can back to its standing position and move it out of the way. After that was over, he settled himself back into the driver's seat and switched the gear from Park to Reverse.

"Okay, now let's go," he said, before backing the car out of the driveway and speeding towards the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This mini-story will have three chapters to it, and I hope to get them both posted soon. Part 2 of Withered Roses will most likely be the next chapter, as I don't want there to be such a large gap between both parts of that story.
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, constructive criticism, and requests are appreciated!


	12. Withered Roses, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years after Daniel takes Dallas to visit Peggy Carter, Daisy takes him to meet Lincoln Campbell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of character death

Dallas was silent as Daisy drove the car down the road. It was early afternoon, and few cars were speeding along the highway. Daisy had slight bags under her eyes, and she woke up this morning unusually quiet. Daniel was quiet as well, reassuring Dallas that everything was okay. From his tone, however, Dallas knew that something was wrong. When his parents thought he was sleeping last night, Dallas could hear Daisy and Daniel whispering together late into the night. He could only hear his father comforting his mother. 

“Are we visiting Peggy Carter’s grave again?” Dallas broke the silence after a while. Daisy shook her head no. 

“Not today. We’re visiting someone else this time,” Daisy replied, before going silent again. Dallas settled into the silence as well, plugging in one of his earbuds to drown out the unsettling silence. 

Before long, Daisy and Dallas pulled up to a tall, glass building. Engraved on the polished, black stone were the words, “Coulson Academy”. Dallas was still confused as to why his mother brought him here but decided not to ask. Daisy parked the car and got out, starting to walk over to the entrance of the building, Dallas at her heels. They silently walked through the glass doors and to the front desk. A woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties was there, not much older than Dallas himself. She seemed to recognize Daisy. 

“Mrs. Sousa,” the receptionist greeted. “Do you remember where it is?” 

Daisy nodded in response. “Yes I do, thank you,” she gently pulled Dallas behind her as they weaved through the halls. Left. Pass two doors. Flight of stairs up. Left. First door on the right. Dallas took note of the plaque above the doorway. S.H.I.E.L.D. Hall of Valor. 

The air seemed to grow cold as Dallas and Daisy walked in. Statues filled the room, resembling the fallen agents who have served S.H.I.E.L.D. and the SSR. Dallas recognized a few of the statues from his parents’ and Grandpa Coulson’s stories, such as Linda Avery, Peggy Carter, and Natasha Romanoff. 

Dallas was so entranced with each statue that he didn’t realize he walked past his mother, who stopped in front of one of the statues. Quickly regaining his focus and following Daisy’s eyes. He read the name under the black S.H.I.E.L.D. logo. 

Lincoln Campbell  
Ser. No: A 84G77846  
April 17, 1985 - June 2016  
Inhuman, Friend, Doctor

It finally clicked in his head. Daisy briefly talked about Lincoln once, a few years ago. Dallas didn’t know much about him, except for the fact that his mother used to love him and that he died on a jet that exploded alongside one of the bad guys. Hive or something like that. 

Daisy suddenly broke down, tracing the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo with her fingers and looking up at Statue Lincoln. Dallas immediately wrapped his mother in his arms, heart breaking at the sight of his determined, headstrong mother displaying so much grief. 

“He would’ve loved you, you know,” Daisy said. Dallas felt his mother’s tears drip onto his arms but stayed silent. “I don’t want you to think that I love you or your father any less. It’s just… Lincoln was a big part of my life.”

“Yeah, I understand,” Dallas said softly, and he was telling the truth. “I think I would’ve loved him too.” He looked up at Statue Lincoln’s face, his eyes filling with tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end of the Withered Roses collection, guys. This was definitely another one of the saddest chapters I've ever had to write. 
> 
> Comments, kudos, constructive criticism, and requests are always appreciated!


	13. In Labor, part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Daisy are stuck in traffic on the way to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mild language

Daisy and Daniel could both agree that life was being a massive bitch right now. Daisy was pissed because she partly got the bed wet when her water broke, and she'd have to change the bedsheets when they got back from the hospital. Daniel was pissed because he knocked over the trash can when backing out of the driveway earlier.

Now, the two of them were pissed at their biggest enemy right now: freeway traffic. Literal bumper-to-bumper traffic. Daisy was trying not to panic from the passenger's seat, but Daniel noticed how she tried to (discreetly) see if the cars in front of them were moving. Daniel was drumming his fingers against the steering wheel impatiently, muttering under his breath.

"Ooh," Daisy flinched as she rested her hand over her belly. "Damnit, Dallas, hold on a little longer, okay?"

Daniel stared at Daisy's belly, still unable to believe that his wife was ready to give birth to their son. That Dallas was ready to come into the world. The past 8 months have been a blur of Daisy having mood swings and throwing up, Daniel panicking about being a father, and the couple setting up the nursery next to the master bedroom and painting the walls jade green.

Dallas Elio Sousa. That was the name Daniel and Daisy agreed upon. Dallas was Daisy's choosing, the name meaning someone stable, disciplined, and practical. She wanted her son to grow up filled with love, unlike her own childhood, which was filled with chaos and misery. Elio, on the other hand, was Daniel's choosing. The name Elio had Spanish origins, something Daniel considered since his father was ¾ Spanish, and it represented the Sun, which he felt was accurate for the person he knew his son would grow up to be.

Daniel startled as he heard a horn honk behind him. Taking his eyes off of Daisy, he was relieved to see that the traffic cleared somewhat, and drove forward.

"We're almost there, buddy," Daniel said to Daisy's belly, an action that Daisy found hilarious. "We're about five minutes away from the hospital, try not to give your mom such a hard time." In response, Daisy felt her uterus contract.

"I can tell this one's going to be a lot of trouble," Daisy groaned in pain as her husband chuckled. Before long, they were exiting the freeway, the hospital in their line of sight.

"Thank God," Daniel whispered, slowly taking his hand to rub it over Daisy's belly.

"This was only half of the journey, Sousa," Daisy teased, out of breath. Daniel mentally braced himself as he turned into the parking lot of the hospital. He saw a nurse walk through the sliding glass doors and drove to the entrance before putting the car into park. The nurse, noticing them, immediately walked over to the car. One look at a frantic Daniel and a sweaty (and pregnant) Daisy told her all she needed to know.

"First time?" she asked, to which Daisy nodded. "I'll call for a wheelchair."

A few moments later, another hospital employee rolled up to the car, a wheelchair in his grasp. The nurse opened the passenger door and helped Daisy out of the seat.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to park your car before following us inside. Please ask the front desk for your wife's room number after parking," she said as Daisy sat down in the wheelchair. Daniel nodded in understanding as his wife was wheeled away. He didn't move the car until he saw the nurse, the hospital employee, and Daisy disappear behind the sliding glass doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 3 will be the last chapter of this mini-series, but definitely not for this story!
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, constructive criticism, and requests are appreciated!


	14. In Labor, part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's running through Daniel's head as Daisy is giving birth to their son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: language, slightly graphic process of childbirth

If anyone was looking closely, they'd see that Daniel's face had gone pale. It wasn't the fear, it wasn't the apprehension, and it certainly wasn't due to excitement. No. His face had paled because he was currently feeling the true strength Daisy had. He felt like his bones could shatter at any moment just because of his wife's grip. Daniel was just glad that Daisy was holding his left hand and not his right.

Daisy, in question, was splayed out on the hospital bed, her body writhing in pain due to her contractions, which became more and more frequent.

"Okay, Daisy, you're at 10 centimeters now. It's time to push," the doctor commanded gently. This earned a growl from Daisy, who was sweating profusely. Her face contorted once more when a particularly brutal contraction racked through her body.

"Goddamnit, Sousa," she seethed in between labored breaths. "I am never letting you put a baby into me again."

Daniel could barely nod. "Yes, honey."

"Fucking hell, this monster is gonna kill me," Daisy groaned, squeezing Daniel's hand even tighter. It took her husband nearly all of his willpower to not let a sound escape his lips. He could feel his fingers growing numb. "How the fuck do people push out baby after baby?"

"I can see the head, Daisy," the doctor said gently, trying her best not to provoke more of Daisy's frustration.

"Can't I get any more painkillers, Doc?" Daisy gasped, her eyes squeezing shut. Daniel silently tucked a strand of hair away from his wife's sweaty brow.

The doctor shook her head no. "We can't give you more of the epidural, Daisy. Too much will lower your blood pressure and prove dangerous for you and your baby."

Daisy groaned in pain at this. She turned her face toward Daniel. "After today, condoms are a must, Daniel Sousa. I am never doing this again." Daniel could only nod meekly as his wife screamed in pain once more.

"Nurse, vital check," the doctor commanded one of the women at standby. The nurse glanced at the monitors.

"Blood pressure: 142 over 85. Heart rate: 76 beats per minute," the nurse listed out. The doctor nodded at these numbers before encouraging Daisy to push more.

"You're almost there, Mrs. Johnson," the doctor said.

The noise of the room turned into a low buzz. Daniel Sousa never thought he'd feel this much fear. After all, he was a World War II veteran, SSR agent, and former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He'd seen his Alternate self die facedown in a pool, been kidnapped by Malick years ago, apparently died in front of Daisy in a time loop, and had many close calls with the Chronicoms. It was the feeling of Daisy crushing his hand and the prospect of becoming a father that terrified him the most. Daniel was pulled back to reality when he felt Daisy give out a huge sigh next to him.

The next sound, he knows will be ingrained into his memory for the rest of his life. A sound that made all his fear that had compiled over his life worth it. Dallas Elio Sousa let out his first cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the end of the In Labor mini-saga and another one of the sagas in this story! Thank you to everyone who has come this far!
> 
> As always, kudos, constructive criticism, comments, and requests are appreciated!


	15. The Wonderful World of Whiskey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas gets a visit from his Uncle Lance while his parents are busy at work, and the pair become wasted in no time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of alcohol consumption and mild language

"Are you sure this is okay, Uncle Lance?" a nervous Dallas asked, a bottle of Corona in his hand. Hunter looked at his nephew before answering by taking a large gulp of his beer.

"It's definitely alright," he replied, before moving to take another drink. "You're already with me and you're being supervised. It would be bad if you were drinking alone."

Dallas let his thoughts clash with one another a second longer before taking a huge swig from the bottle. His reaction was horrible. As this was the teen's first time trying alcohol, he was unused to the burning sensation in his throat, and the bitterness of the beer itself. It took all of his willpower not to spit out the contents of his mouth in front of his uncle.

"Damn, Uncle Lance. How do you manage to drink so much of this in a short amount of time?" he coughed, grateful when the older man thumped him on the back. "You're sure I won't get in trouble for this?"

His uncle replied with a sure nod, taking his hand off of Dallas's back when the latter wasn't coughing anymore. "Now, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of whiskey."

-

Daisy was taking a break from teaching her students at Terrigenesis Academy. She had opened the Academy with the help of Joey Gutierrez and Kora right after she retired from S.H.I.E.L.D., and the company proved to be a huge success. Daisy constantly had new clients, and eventually had to split the workload with Joey and Kora. The layout of the building was like that of a gym but filled with equipment that could withstand any of the powers the Inhumans might have. Over the past decade or so, Daisy has dealt with Ecokinesis, Hydrokinesis, Mind Readers, Time-Freezers, among many others. Although Terrigenesis Academy wasn't directly affiliated with S.H.I.E.L.D., many high-ranking members such as Mack, Coulson, and May would occasionally drop by.

A notification popped up on Daisy's phone. She opened it to the groupchat between her, Daniel, and Dallas, where the photo was sent. The photo made her choke.

Dallas had taken a selfie and was standing on the kitchen table, beer bottles littered on the tabletop near his feet, obviously having rifled through his parents' alcohol stash for special occasions. Her son looked absolutely wasted. On top of all of that, Hunter, who had been wanting to visit his nephew for a while now, was slumped in a nearby chair, a half-full bottle of sake raised towards Dallas's camera.

That bastard, Daisy thought. That's the last time they were going to let Hunter visit her son alone. She saw Daniel aggressively typing in the groupchat, smirked, and went to call Bobbi. She was going to have a field day with her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I finalized that Daisy would have opened up Terrigenesis Academy for Inhumans after retiring from S.H.I.E.L.D. with Joey and Kora, but I haven't finalized what Daniel's job would be. I did mention that he worked in an office a few chapters back, but I'll try to incorporate a job that would best merge his past experiences with a job stationed in an office.
> 
> Also, I figured that Bobbi and Hunter could establish contact with the Sousas, as Daniel and Daisy technically aren't S.H.I.E.L.D. agents anymore, so they wouldn't pose a threat to the organization. I also wanted a happy ending for Bobbi and Hunter, even though Hunter said in Season 5 to Fitz that with his relationship with Bobbi, "distance was their savior."
> 
> Constructive criticism, comments, kudos, and requests are always appreciated! :)


	16. Robot Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas discovers the wonders of Coulson's prosthetic hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Dallas, be careful!" May lightly scolded the child, who was currently rolling around on the couch. Coulson sat on a nearby cushion, clearly amused at the sight.

"Sorry, Grandma May," Dallas apologized, straightening up on the couch. May gave a smile of relief.

"Now, what movie do you want to watch?"

Dallas pondered on this for a quick second.

"Can we watch Raya and the Last Dragon?" May nodded before going upstairs to find the movie. When May was out of earshot, Dallas crawled up to Coulson and whispered in his ear. "Grandpa, Grandma May is boring."

Coulson had to stifle a loud laugh waiting to burst from his throat to not alert his wife. He let out a noise, something between a chuckle and a groan. "You're right there, little guy. Your Grandma May can be boring sometimes."

"I'm bored, can we play?" Dallas asked, resting his back on the couch and crossing his stubby arms. Coulson thought the toddler was a split image of Daisy during her early days under his team, so many years ago.

"May's getting the movie," Coulson stated, causing Dallas's brow to furrow in annoyance more.

"But she's gonna take too long," he complained, causing a lightbulb to flash in Coulson's mind. The older man silently tapped his wrist three times, quick in succession.

REMOVE PROSTHETIC?

[Y]

With a brief whir, Coulson now held his left hand in his right. He waved it in front of Dallas, quickly getting the toddler's attention. Alarmed, Dallas darted his gaze between Coulson's stump and his left hand.

"Can my hand do that?" Dallas asked excitedly, proceeding to tug at his own left hand, to no avail. Coulson laughed as Dallas's inquisitive expression faltered once more. "How does your hand do that, Grandpa Coulson?"

May silently stepped downstairs. She had heard their whole conversation, even the part where Dallas called her boring. She had to stifle her own laugh at that. For a woman in her sixties, her hearing was still impeccable.

She smiled as she heard her husband's voice, telling their grandson the story of how he got his prosthetic hand. The words were much too complicated for a toddler like Dallas to understand, but he was still hanging onto Coulson's every word. May made it down the last step of the staircase, the DVD of Raya and the Last Dragon in her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm honestly very excited for Raya and the Last Dragon to come out. As a Southeast Asian (Filipino), it's incredibly heart-warming to see this representation.
> 
> As always, requests, kudos, constructive criticism, and comments are appreciated!


	17. 2020 Halloween Special!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas is a bee, Daisy is a sunflower, and Daniel is a robin. Need I say more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"TWICK OR TWEAT!" Dallas screamed joyfully at the elderly woman at the door. The woman looked at the little bee in front of her before the adults standing behind him. She smiled before giving a large handful of candy to Dallas.

"My, my," she cooed. "What a happy child!" Daisy and Daniel smiled at this. "I know it's not honey, but I hope this candy is enough, little bee."

"Thank you!" Daisy said, taking Dallas's hand and leaving the woman's front door. "Happy Halloween!"

The three Sousas walked down the sidewalk of their neighborhood, Dallas happily skipping in front of his parents. Daisy was dressed as a sunflower this year, while Daniel was a robin. Dallas's bee costume was adorable, the toddler short enough that the stinger was touching the ground. The costumes were freakishly hilarious, but the only thing that mattered to the parents was their child's happiness.

"Mommy, Daddy, BEE!" Dallas had pleaded with Daisy and Daniel six months ago. They thought it was too early, being April and all, but after hearing Dallas scream the word "bee" in the matter of a couple of days, the three of them set out to buy their Halloween costumes. Six months early.

"You doing okay, Dal?" Daniel asked, his arms linked with Daisy's as they watched their son take interest in a zombie decoration in front of one of the neighbor's houses.

"I'm bee! Bee bee bee!" Dallas yowled before bursting out into a fit of giggles and babbling something incomprehensible to Daniel. At two years old, Dallas had reached the point in his development where the words that came out of his mouth surpassed the number of words in his vocabulary. For the past few months, Daisy and Daniel have struggled with Dallas's babbling before they somehow managed to distinguish one unintelligible word from the next.

As all parents do, Daisy tried making Dallas say "Mommy" first while Daniel tried making him say "Daddy" first. To their surprise, the first word to leave Dallas's mouth was "bee", after seeing a blue bee buzz around the TV screen during one of his favorite cartoon showings.

"You heard him, Danny Boy," Daisy said, slightly rushing and pulling Daniel to catch up with Dallas. "Your son's a bee."

"And he makes a very cute one at that," Daniel replied smartly. The parents watched as Dallas went up to the next door and rang the doorbell, already shouting another eager "TWICK OR TREAT!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really excited for Halloween this year, as I wanted to go as a female Bucky Barnes (from the Marvel Cinematic Universe), but COVID had to come in and ruin everything. My little sister and I are just planning to stay at home this year, maybe watch some movies and eat candy. If you are going out for Halloween this year, whether it be trick-or-treating or a party, don't forget to wear a mask and social distance! Happy Halloween everyone! :)
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, requests, and constructive criticism are appreciated!


	18. Florakinesis, part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the morning of Dallas's 8th birthday, Daniel and Daisy open their son's bedroom door to an unexpected surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Can you believe Dallas turns eight today?" Daisy giggled excitedly as she and Daniel sprinted up the stairs towards their son's room. She held a plate which carried a slice of black forest cake: Dallas's favorite. Daniel laughed as he followed his wife upstairs, gripping a shiny acoustic guitar tightly. Dallas had been wanting a guitar for the past few months now after seeing Uncle Lance play his at his anniversary dinner with Aunt Bobbi almost six months ago.

"Don't remind me," Daniel groaned, although his face had broken out into a wide smile. "It just reminds me that we're getting older too."

Daisy laughed, though she unconsciously placed a hand on her temple, feeling the wrinkles that were starting to accumulate next to her eyes. The two parents reached the top step. "God, we're getting old."

"Do you have your phone on you?" Daniel whispered as the two parents got closer to Dallas's bedroom, which was at the end of the long hallway that was the second floor of their house. Daniel let a quick moment of nostalgia hit him, back when the white, suburban home was still empty and the floors weren't littered with toys.

Daisy slapped her back pocket, confirming that her phone was in her back pocket. "Where did you put yours? We need Dallas's surprise recorded from as many angles as possible."

"I left it on the kitchen counter," Daniel shrugged as Daisy and he got closer to their son's door, the two of them now tiptoeing. "And plus, I don't want to give Dallas a damaged guitar," he continued, referring to the worst-case scenario of Daniel accidentally dropping the guitar and scuffing it somewhere. Both parents finally reached Dallas's bedroom door. However, they leaned closer towards the door when they heard Dallas give out a shocked yelp.

"Mom! Dad!" Dallas screamed from inside the room. Daisy and Daniel burst inside and gaped at the sight of Dallas being surrounded by flowers, leaves, and vines.

"What in the-" Daniel asked, appalled. "What is this?" Daisy had gone silent next to him. He turned and met his wife's eyes, full of fear and awe and surprise and _pride_.

The realization suddenly hit, and Daniel nearly dropped the guitar in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's another chapter! Thank you to everyone who has come this far with my story!
> 
> As always, kudos, requests, and constructive criticism are appreciated!


	19. Bee!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas is about to say his first word. Daisy wants him to say "Mama", while Daniel wants him to say "Dada". Only time will tell which parent Dallas will acknowledge first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Come on, Dal, say 'Dada'," Daniel coaxed his son. He felt Daisy elbow him in the side as she interjected.

"No, Dal, say 'Mama'!" Daisy interrupted, making a goofy face and making Dallas laugh.

Dallas was well on his way to say his first word. He had started babbling a few days ago, and his parents took it upon themselves to either make "Mama" or "Dada" his first word.

Daniel was currently shaking Dallas's favorite toy in front of him while his wife was using her powers to make one of Dallas's toy blocks spin in the air. However, the baby was uninterested, trying to peek past his hulking parents' figures to see the TV.

"He's gonna say 'Mama', I can feel it," Daisy said triumphantly, though it was still too early to tell.

"Nope," Daniel responded, still shaking Dallas's stuffed panda in front of him. "He's going to say 'Dada' first."

"Whatever you say, Danny Boy," Daisy rolled her eyes, before taking another tiny block in her hand and Quaking that as well. "Come on, sweetie!"

Dallas was growing increasingly frustrated, squirming from his place on the high-chair in the kitchen. He started babbling, his parents eagerly leaning forward to listen.

" _Ma_ -ma!"

"No. _Da_ -da!"

"Mm-buh! Mm-buh!" Dallas managed to say, trying to push his parents out of the way with his tiny arms.

Daisy's eyes gleamed with accomplishment, certain that Dallas would say "Mama". She took a step back, watching her son carefully.

_There!_ Dallas could see the TV now, though his dad was blocking half of the screen. That was more than enough.

" _Bee!_ " Dallas giggled as he pointed to a light blue bee buzzing around the TV screen, a companion to the cartoon's main character. "Bee! Bee!"

Daisy looked at Daniel. Daniel looked at Daisy. Before long, the couple burst out laughing, congratulating their son. Daniel's laugh was hearty and loud, lifting Dallas from the high-chair and lifting him towards the sky. Dallas, however, kept his focus on the buzzing blue bee flying across the screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, requests, kudos, constructive criticism, and comments are appreciated!


	20. The Terrigenesis Academy for Inhumans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into how the building of the Terrigenesis Academy for Inhumans was planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none

"Thank you guys so much for this," Daisy said to Kora and Joey as they entered the gym. They had bought the property last week with the full intent of making it into the Terrigenesis Academy for Inhumans. They wanted to be there to help any new Inhumans make their transition into their new lives as simple as possible.

"It's a good thing you're doing, sis," Kora replied as she put her bag down in the dusty building. She put her hands on her hips, already planning where to put things once they got their hands on the new supplies. Joey stepped beside her.

"Agreed, Daisy," he said. "And plus, this is my way of repaying you after being gone for so long."

The three of them surveyed the empty gym, imagining what the finished product would look like. The floors certainly need to be sweeped, bathrooms needed to be installed, exercise equipment could line the walls, and rooms for private Inhuman training could go in the back.

Mack did some amazing work here. He was thrilled when Daisy first proposed the idea of building a gym that catered specifically to training Inhumans and got the funds together immediately. Daisy was constantly on his case, insisting that he will be repaid, but as stubborn as Mack was, he never revealed how much he spent and waved her off each time with a laugh. Eventually, Daisy got tired of pestering her big-brother-figure/Director and replaced her constant questions with constant gratitude.

Coulson and May were especially helpful, planning the guidelines and rules for the Inhumans who would train at the gym. Coulson gave Daisy, Joey, and Kora advice on how to approach those who appear troubled, as he was there years ago when Daisy was panicking about getting her new powers. As Daisy's parental figures, it made Coulson and May really happy when the Inhuman first suggested opening up a gym to help other Inhumans through what she went through years prior.

Daniel, although not an Inhuman himself, supported his wife however he could. He helped with ideas for the layout of the gym, researching what materials worked best for the various possibilities of Inhuman powers.

" _What if our kid was an Inhuman?" said Daniel to Daisy a week earlier as they drove home after seeing the property Mack bought. "Are you ready for that responsibility?"_

_Daisy thought of this for a second. They had retired from S.H.I.E.L.D. nearly three months ago, and in between Daisy opening up the Terrigenesis Academy for Inhumans and Daniel starting to work at his 9-5 at the office, Daisy barely even considered the possibility that the baby in her womb might end up turning into an Inhuman._

_She rubbed at her belly, feeling the flutter of a kick. "It's gonna be a lot of work," she admitted._

_Daniel nodded. "Of course, I can tone down my hours at the office." Right after leaving S.H.I.E.L.D., Daniel applied for a typical 9-5 office job at a company that sold electronics. Daisy had insisted that this job was mundane and that her husband would eventually tire of it, but Daniel was persistent. After what he had to experience with S.H.I.E.L.D., he found he missed the simple office life compared to near-death experiences. And plus, it reminded him of his days at the SSR. Some things never change, even after jumping 70 years in the future._

Daisy ran her thumb along one of the walls, grimacing when a layer of dust coated her finger. She turned to Joey and Kora. "Alright, guys. Time to patch this place up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Veteran’s Day everyone!
> 
> As always, requests, kudos, comments, and constructive criticism are appreciated :)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! Comment requests if you have any :)


End file.
